With the holidays upon us and the cold weather creeping in, there's no better time to invite friends and loved ones over for a dinner party. If this sounds like a daunting endeavor, don't fret—a little planning (and maybe a cook's cocktail or two) will keep the stress at bay.

The Entertainer: Throwing a Holiday Dinner Party

The Entertainer: Throwing a Holiday Dinner Party

At my table, the ideal dinner-party guest list includes six to eight invitees who range from reserved to garrulous and share a few common interests. If time allows, send a handwritten invitation to your guests. As a great alternative, the website Paperless Post allows you to send "fine stationery" via e-mail and tracks your guests' responses on the site. Be sure your invitation clearly states that the event is a dinner party and requests that your guests repondez s'il vous plait.

TIP : Be sure to invite plenty of conversationalists and seat them at different ends of the table to keep conversation flowing. Place cards look nice on the table, but they're also a great way to avoid the awkward game of predinner musical chairs.